Misophonia, hearing loss, tinnitus? What is up with me?

[Whatisupwithme]

I am hoping someone might be able to make sense of what is going on with my ears or brain, as I can't really pinpoint what the problem is.

Tonight I am completely exhausted, my ears are ringing and I am really tense. My DN has been over with Dsis (we are her support bubble).

When DN and my DC get together, the noise that they make utterly exhausts me. I think I have brought my DC up to be quite quiet and DN is normal child volume.

The extra noise makes me physically exhausted and unable to function. DS was running around with a noisy toy and eventually DH came downstairs and took it from him, my brain wasn't functioning sufficiently to do that. I also said yes to a big treat that I really wouldn't have done if I had been able to think.

It sounds really petty, but it is actually having a fairly big impact on my life and health. I've never liked a lot of noise and I am sometimes irritated by conversation when eating or in the car.

Both of my parents have some degree of hearing loss, DF has tinnitus and DM has Meniere's Disease. DF is also quite similar in being agitated by the noise of several people together.

I would say though, that my hearing is good, I don't think I have any hearing loss. What is going on?

Have you had covid? I read a news article a few days ago about a link between covid and subsequent tinnitus/hearing loss.

How old are you OP? I have just been referred to a specialist for tinnitus. Apparently it can get worse with menopause.

Sorry, pressed post too soon.
You could be suffering from sensory overload, when I am tired or stressed or trying to concentrate I cannot stand any loud, layered or reoetitive sounds (or bright lights), and I have to take myself off to a quiet place to decompress. I suspect that I may be undiagnosed ASD (DC diagnosed), which could be linked.
Not sure what the answer is OP but you’re not alone.

Hi OP,
Look up SSCD ear on google. After many years of frustrating symptoms and worrying ones too I was diagnosed two years ago with this. It explained so much when I received my diagnosis. Unfortunately the symptoms haven’t gone away but I now know how to manage it. I saw a neuro and had a CT scan as well as other hearing and balance tests for this diagnosis
Good luck

Thanks all. Some really helpful suggestions. ASD is a possibility, my DS2 is having some issues that GP and teacher think could be ASD related. DD and Ds1 also have similar issues.

I will look into SSCD. I am perimenopausal, I believe, although only 40. I have had some big changes in my cycle recently.

Really appreciate the replies.

My DH has bought these:

www.flareaudio.com/products/calmer

And says they do help.

I hope that you get to the bottom of what’s causing it OP. The flareaudio earbuds linked above (thanks Fingerbobs) look interesting..

I hope you get to the bottom of it too. I’m 41 and was diagnosed right before I was 40 and that’s about the time these diagnoses are made according to my doctor. All the symptoms prior to that are dismissed as something else being the cause.
Anyway, hope you get on ok. Best of luck.

@Alexindiamondarmour, thanks for your tip on SSCD, I've been to the GP about headaches on my left side, dizziness and nausea and hadn't connected it with the fatigue around noise. My left ear also constantly has that pressure sensation of when you are swimming underwater. I have also recently started hearing my heartbeat in my left ear.

I think it is something to look at further.